Kathleen Coal Mine

The Kathleen Mine was a coal mine that operated in the nearby coal town of Dowell, Illinois, United States, from 1918 to 1946. At peak production, its output was 5,000 tons/day of coal. It was operated by the Union Colliery Company in St. Louis.[1]

Former Kathleen Mine company store in Dowell, Illinois

The Kathleen was sunk in 1917 and the mine opened in 1918. It closed in November 21, 1946. Over its life, over 150 men were killed working there.[2]

Its miners went on strike from 1933 to 1937. They struck for the right to join the Progressive Mining Union, instead of the United Mine Workers union led by John Lewis.[3]

Disasters
  • The mine was the location of a disaster in February 1921, killing seven men.[4][5][6]
  • Nine men were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning on August 1, 1936.,[2][7]

Afterward

The entrance to the mine has been closed. On the site today is Cobin's Salvage Yard. There are few remaining signs of the mine that once built the village of Dowell.[8] A small concrete structure is all that remains of the mine.[9]

The mine has been suspected of causing sinkholes in the nearby village of Dowell.[10]

References
  1. "The Small Neighbor". Southern Illinoisan. January 11, 1990.
  2. "The Cruel Kathleen". Duquoin Evening Call. October 20, 1983.
  3. Phil Brinkman (July 20, 1992). "Quiet Present, Colorful Past". Southern Illinoisan.
  4. "Dowell, IL Coal Mine Fire, Feb 1921 | GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, Floods". .gendisasters.com. 1921-02-24. Archived from the original on 2015-10-06. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  5. "1921 mine disaster". Daily Free Press Carbondale Illinois. February 24, 1921.
  6. Wayne Hinton. "History of Illinois Coal Mine Disasters 1921 to 1930". Hinton-gen.com. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  7. Wayne Hinton. "History of Illinois Coal Mine Disasters 1931 to 1940". Hinton-gen.com. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  8. P. Wiseman (August 8, 1984). "The Village of Dowell". Murphysboro American.
  9. John H. Croessman (2013-10-25). "A lot of junk, but never poor - News - Du Quoin Evening Call - Du Quoin, IL - Du Quoin, IL". Duquoin.com. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  10. "Dowell Sinking- no longer slowly". Southern Illinoisan. February 18, 1971.

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